Native Wild Ducks

Native ducks are killed as part of recreational hunts in Australia every year. Many shooters consider such a pastime to be a ‘sport’. It is, however, simply a slaughter. Ducks can legally be hunted in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and parts of NSW. There is no duck hunting season in the ACT. During the hunting seasons in the other jurisdictions, the birds suffer pain and stress when they are shot and/or wounded by shotgun pellets. Duck shooters often do not collect wounded birds, leaving them to die a slow death. In drought seasons duck populations were naturally already low. In 2007 and 2008 numbers were so low that Victoria and South Australia cancelled their duck shooting season. However, in 2009, 2010, and 2011, when duck populations were still recovering after years of drought, the Victorian and South Australian governments allowed the duck shooting seasons to go ahead. The 2012 duck hunting season in Victoria runs from Saturday 17 March to Monday 11 June.

Duck shooting is not a 'sport' – it is cruel and should be banned. For more information on duck shooting seasons see www.duck.org.au/

For more information on other wildlife issues in Australia see www.wildlifeprotectaust.org.au.

A duck with an open fracture on the wing from a gun shot, left to die by shooters in Victoria.